Äike Launches World-First Smart-Lock Feature

“Simply approach your e-scooter and ride with the first-ever remote unlocking feature from Äike”

Newly founded sustainable e-scooter startup Äike, has today launched the world’s first smart-unlock system for e-scooters. The feature is available for the company’s newest model Äike T, and adds to a string of other industry shake-ups launched by the company, including introducing USB-C charging capabilities, and designing, manufacturing and assembling the first e-scooters entirely in Europe using renewable energy. The company’s latest product update allows Äike owners to benefit from its remote unlocking system, a function that has become increasingly popular across the electric vehicle (EV) industry and allows you to start riding simply by standing near your device.

The Smart-Lock feature, integrated into the Äike mobile app, makes riding easier than ever before by letting Äike T owners unlock their e-scooter without even taking their phone out of their pocket. Using authenticated Bluetooth connections, users’ phones automatically connect to the e-scooter when the owner is in range, allowing them to simply hop on and ride. When they hop off, the e-scooter also locks itself, making securing your e-scooter easier and quicker. The effect of Smart-Lock to a user’s phone’s battery life is completely minimal resulting in a truly seamless experience.

Public key authentication guarantees that Smart-Lock is only triggered when the owner is using it, and the new feature is integrated into the scooters’ existing IoT module (provided by Comodule) which is encrypted to take commands only from the phone of its owner (or devices the owner has shared permissions to). Opening the Äike app automatically establishes a Bluetooth or GSM connection with the scooter, which allows the scooter to be locked or unlocked by pressing the allocated button.

The Äike e-scooter is a vertically integrated product, and the manufacturers have full control over its hardware, firmware and software, making it one of the most secure e-scooters on the market. Äike engineers can shut down the IoT connectivity at any point, rendering theft a useless endeavour. Kristjan Maruste, CEO & Founder for Äike & Kõu Mobility Group, commented:

“Releasing this Smart-Lock feature is simply another example of the benefits of operating in a locally based and vertically integrated company. As we manufacture our own electronics, hardware and software, we can go from the ideation to the release phase in a matter of weeks. Our aim is to make Äike scooters the most user-friendly e-vehicles in the world.”

Äike is paving the way for a new era of micro-mobility making e-scooters and zero-emission commuting accessible to the masses. The company actively seeks materials from responsible local recycled suppliers, ensuring a supply and distribution chain that is free from conflict, child labour, and excess landfills, while ensuring 92% of the materials used to produce its e-scooters are recyclable. On top of GPS protection, each e-scooter comes with Comodule’s own IoT device and passport that allows exclusive access to the Äike app and enables remote customer support, instant firmware updates, and e-scooter performance monitoring, offering users a unique connected riding experience.

“The Äike T electric scooter was already positioned as one of the most tech-infused and highly engineered scooters in the world. But now the company is pushing the envelope even further by bringing a feature normally only found in electric cars to the European manufacturer’s light electric two-wheeler,” said Micah Toll on Electrek.